GENERALS OUSTED
OVER AFGHAN ATTACK

Pair held accountable for breach of base

Two prominent generals are being ousted from the Marine Corps because they failed to protect the Camp Bastion base complex in southwestern Afghanistan from a catastrophic attack last year, the commandant said Monday.

Insurgents infiltrated the perimeter fence of Camp Bastion on the night of Sept. 14, 2012, and attacked the flight line with guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The 15 enemy fighters killed two Marines, injured at least 17 other people and destroyed a fleet of Harrier jets before they were killed or captured.

Gen. James Amos asked the Navy secretary to rescind the pending third-star promotion for Maj. Gen. Charles “Mark” Gurganus and issue a letter of censure for Maj. Gen. Gregg Sturdevant. Both men agreed to retire, Amos said.

He added that the rare, if not unprecedented, censuring of multiple Marine brass for wartime missteps was taken to ensure commanders are held accountable for their errors in judgment.

“We owe this duty to the courageous Marines ... (who) so faithfully served our Corps,” said Amos, referring to the two Marines who died in the incident — Lt. Col. Christopher Raible and Sgt. Bradley Atwell.

Errors in judgment

Amos made the announcement after reviewing the findings of a four-month investigation by U.S. Central Command. He concurred with Gen. Lloyd Austin III that the Marine overseeing coalition forces in the region and his air wing commander, both of whom deployed from San Diego County, “did not take adequate force protection measures within the range of responses proportionate to (the) threat.”

Amos told reporters on Monday morning: “Combat operations by their nature involve inherent risks that cannot be fully mitigated. But I believe that Maj. Gen. Gurganus and Maj. Gen. Sturdevant failed to exercise the level of judgment expected of commanders of their rank and their experience. They could have, and should have, done more to mitigate the known risks.”

Although Amos commended both generals for “superb leadership in executing a complex mission throughout a vast area of southwestern Afghanistan,” he also said they did not properly balance the aggressive pursuit of enemy forces with the safeguarding of troops during the inherently dangerous U.S. drawdown of forces in that country.

Gurganus had been nominated in March for a new assignment as chief of Marine Corps staff, essentially the No. 3 position in the Corps.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve beside and lead Marines for over 37 years. I will treasure that forever. I have complete trust and confidence in the leadership of our Corps and fully respect the decision of our commandant,” Gurganus said in a statement.

Divided control

Gurganus deployed from Camp Pendleton as commanding general of coalition troops in Helmand and Nimroz provinces, from his headquarters at the massive Camp Bastion-Leatherneck-Shorabak base complex.

During his yearlong tour that ended this spring, Gurganus juggled a rapid drawdown of forces, ongoing combat operations in the deadliest province of Afghanistan and a handoff of security responsibilities to Afghan troops.

Within six months, his Marine force of about 17,000 troops had dropped to just over 7,000, and a majority of coalition bases had been closed or transferred to Afghan control.